Animated Landscape (Translation)
Paysage Animee (Primary Title)
Fernand Léger, French, 1881 - 1955 (Artist)
Fascinated by machines and automation, Léger gained a reputation as the quintessential painter of modern, mass-produced forms. Even when painting more traditional subject matter, including humans, he imbued the figures with a uniform, mechanical quality. In Animated Landscape, he reduced the figures in the foreground to a series of cylindrical and round volumetric forms, similar in shape and color to the hills and smoke in the background. In contrast, he represented the architectural elements through a flattened, geometric repetition of hard-edged shapes, with the black and red areas providing balance to the composition as a whole.
Lent Anonymously
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
